Male risk-taking and female mate choice in birds: A synthesis of mechanism and function

有些鸟类只有雄性鸣叫，鸣叫率与最近的交配成功率密切相关。这种关系可能反映了对后代亲属的保护。这种浮夸的冒险行为可能也很性感。我们将操纵雄性在自然社会群体中的繁殖成功率，以衡量对产生昂贵呼叫的影响。平行的实验室实验将有选择地改变报警率，以测试这是否会影响对女性的吸引力。结果将检验一个有争议的假设，扩展当前的亲代投资和雌性配偶选择模型，并允许对性选择和动物认知的工作进行综合。

Some avian alarm calls are produced only by males, and call rate corresponds closely with recent mating success. This relationship might reflect protection of descendant kin. Such ostentatious risk-taking might also be sexy. We will manipulate male reproductive success in natural social groups to measure the effect on production of costly calls. Parallel lab experiments will selectively change alarm call rate to test whether this influences attractiveness to females. Results will test a controversial hypothesis, extend current models of parental investment and female mate choice, and permit a synthesis of work on sexual selection and animal cognition.